On an entirely different topic, what is everyone paying in club fees this year? 91 is charging $3300 not including additional winter training and tournaments. How about the rest?
$1,900 for 5 tourneys, fall and spring training.
Looking at just the total price doesn't compare apples to apples, as some teams include extra tourneys, winter turf time and training in those numbers, while others you pay a la carte for all of the extra's. Suffice to say, travel has gone to a whole new level, price-wise. Tuition for 91 went up 57% in the past two years. Granted, they throw in some extra's to get to that price, including an extra sweatshirt, but +57% in two years is staggering. Makes you start thinking about getting off the travel lacrosse gravy train. You wonder why lacrosse is perceived as the prep school sport of the privileged?? It's because it still very much is.
Which is exactly why I will not have my son play for a club program that includes a true "full year" program - I don't want:
* fall tourneys - my kids are busy playing football from Aug 1st to the end of Nov. with Saturday walk-throughs and Sunday games, along with travel practices every other week or so * winter workouts are fine, but I prefer it to be extra and a la carte - my kids are playing basketball and/or wrestling, as well as having some weekends to maybe do something as a family. We'll make as many as we can, but, if not, then I don't feel like I paid for something I could not take advantage of. * spring tourneys - my kids are busy enough with their PAL and school teams, along with the the ramping up of their travel practices as we move into April/May
In the end, I worry less about my kids getting burned out of lax, they are multi-sport athletes and better athletes as a result, and I am not paying as much, but getting more value for my money spent.
All extremely valid arguments. However, I'm sure that almost 100% of the people that read this will opt for the year round program, assuming their son is able to make such a team. Why? The proof is in the pudding. You're son obviously is unable to make such a team, or at least a decent one. Without the extra work and expertise associated with a better year round program, he has no chance of keeping up with the boys that do. That's the sad truth and the reason why we think these teams have us by the short hairs.
I said I didn't want fall and spring tournaments - my kids practice with their club teams during both of those seasons. They also make a majority of their winter workouts, but I lose zero sleep and money when they don't. My one son's team is full of players who willingly left the big programs because of all of the [ChillLaxin] - their team is about consistent in talent from the 1st to 18th boy, so I know my son could have played on those clubs (provided they chose solely based upon play, but we all know that part of the [ChillLaxin] is that that doesn't happen!). Ultimately, my son and a whole bunch of players who don't play for the big clubs will all be vying for the same roster spots as your kids - fact.
